The present invention relates to a hose take-up apparatus for taking up a twin line welding hose being used with a gas welding apparatus, and more particularly to such a hose take-up apparatus which has guide means to guide the twin line welding hose in and out of the casing thereof, enabling the twin line welding hose to be received in a good order when not in use.
A regular gas welding apparatus is generally comprised of an acetylene cylinder, an oxygen cylinder, a cutting torch (or welding torch), and a twin line welding hose connected between the acetylene cylinder and oxygen cylinder and the cutting torch. When not in use, the twin line welding hose is directly wound round the cylinders and the peripheral frame structure of the gas welding apparatus. When the twin line welding hose is received, it tends to be tangled. FIG. 10 shows a prior art hose take-up apparatus for taking up a hose. As illustrated, the hose take-up apparatus comprises a reel A supported on a rack B, and rotated to take up a hose TL. When used with a gas welding apparatus, the two hoses C of the gas cylinders (acetylene cylinder and oxygen cylinder) are respectively connected to the reel A. Because the reel A is rotated on an axle tube D, the hoses C must be installed in the axle tube D, enabling acetylene and oxygen to be guided into the inside of the reel A, so that fuel gas mixture can be further guided from the reel A to the cutting torch (or welding torch) E through the hose TL. In order to prevent a gas leakage, axle seal means (d) must be installed to seal the gap within the reel A around the axle tube D. The structure of the axle seal means (d) is complicated. Furthermore, the axle seal means (d) wears quickly with use.